Please continue to spread the word to others who may wish to receive this information that they will need to access the ARRL members only web site. After becoming a member they must edit their profile and elect to receive bulletins from the Section Manager and Director. If you are already a member on the ARRL site (http://www.arrl.org) from the “Members Only” box click on “members data page” and then under email notification options set “Division/Section notices” to YES. You will receive the next bulletin sent. Past Bulletins are available at http://www.hudson.arrl.org

* ARRL remembers victims of September 11

— On the second anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, the ARRL remembers those who lost their lives. They included seven Amateur Radio operators who died in the World Trade Center and Pentagon disasters: Steven A. “Steve” Jacobson, N2SJ, 53, an ARRL member and a WPIX transmitter engineer from New York City; William V. “Bill” Steckman, WA2ACW, of West Hempstead, New York, a WNBC transmitter engineer; Michael G. Jacobs, AA1GO, 54, an ARRL member from Danbury, Connecticut; Robert D. “Bob” Cirri Sr, KA2OTD, 39, an ARRL member from Nutley, New Jersey, and ARRL Hudson County District Emergency Coordinator. A Port Authority Police officer, Cirri was helping to evacuate occupants from the World Trade Center when it collapsed; William R. “Bill” Ruth, W3HRD, 58, of Mt Airy, Maryland, an ARRL member, who died in Pentagon attack. He was a Vietnam and Gulf War veteran and worked in the Pentagon; Gerard J. “Rod” Coppola, KA2KET, 46, of New York City; and Winston A. Grant, KA2DRF, 59, of West Hempstead, New York.

* ELECTIONS IN HUDSON DIVISION – Please vote!

Ballots for the Hudson Division Director election will begin arriving in your mail-box around October 1. As ballots are sent bulk mail some may take weeks to dribble out to you. Please make your decision and send you ballot back in time to be counted in late November. If you have not received a ballot by November 1, please contact HQ for a replacement.

* HUDSON DIVISION AWARDS DINNER November 8th in Paramus

The Hudson Division Awards Dinner is again being sponsored by the 10-70 Repeater Association and will be held on November 8th in Northern New Jersey at Biaggio’s Resturante in Paramus, NJ by popular request. The food is good, the camaraderie is great and there are plenty of door prizes for all. Tickets are limited to the first 100 at $38 per person. Send ticket requests to 10-70 Repeater Association, Inc., 235 Van Emburgh Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450-2918

2003’s Technical Achievement Award winner is Len Signoretti Jr, N2LEN, of Brooklyn, New York. The specific achievement Len was recognized for was the unique Echolink repeater/internet linking system he has implemented, one of the first in the New York City area.

The 2003 Grand Ole Ham is Jim Joyce, K2ZO, of Washington Township, New Jersey. A 30 year member of the Bergen Amateur Radio Club, Jim has devoted most of his free time to the club and to making Amateur Radio operators more knowledgeable in the hobby. He has spent two decades as an Elmer, founding the club’s “kit night” in which hams could learn the basics of building electronic equipment, how to solder, or how to troubleshoot and repair their own equipment.

The 2003 Hudson Division Amateur of the Year is Bruce Lordi, N2XP, of Flanders, New Jersey. A well rounded Amateur, Bruce has been described as “Mr. Fixit”. From HTs to Mobile equipment to repeaters, Bruce is always ready to help hams with their technical problems. Bruce gives countless hours to helping hams and teaching others about technology. He Elmers local Amateurs on the technology behind packet, PSK31, APRS, HF, VHF and UHF techniques.

Please join with us to honor these outstanding Hudson Division hams. You will also have a good time and perhaps take home a door prize. Plan on being with us on November 8th in Paramus.

* LogBook or LoTW has ARRIVED

On Monday September 15, 2003 Logbook of the World opened for business. See http://www.arrl.org/lotw/ It will eventually offer a new way to get credits for awards like DXCC, WAS and the DXCC Challenge. October QST has information about the program on page 46.

Step by step instructions are found on the Getting Started section. http://www.arrl.org/lotw/getstart.html

If you used the Beta system, it’s important to remember that the sequence of events is different because the full security protocol is in effect. In the Beta test, you received your password and digital certificate via email shortly after submitting the request.

In the final production system, after you upload your certificate request you will receive an acknowledgement, and your request will be sent to the Logbook administrator in the DXCC branch for approval. Once approved, a unique password will be printed on a postcard and mailed to your FCC database address. With that password, you can receive your digital certificate via Web or email, install it on your computer, and begin signing logs and submitting them to the system as before.

The first of the postcards will to be processed and mailed later this week, and after that QSOs can start flowing into the system.

* CW TESTING Petitions at FCC

A number of petitions to drop or maintain cw or Morse testing as a license requirement have been filed with the FCC as a result of action taken at WRC 2003. The decision of WRC-03 in late July to eliminate Morse Code proficiency as a international requirement for amateur access to frequencies below 30 MHz has left it to each country to decide whether to retain Morse Code proficiency as a requirement for access to HF frequencies.

For details see http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/08/29/2/?nc=1 ARRL policy is not to comment on other’s proposals unless they involve spectrum issues and these proposals do not. ARRL has begun the process of developing its own proposal.

Once the process of collecting comments on all Morse code-related petitions is completed, the FCC may determine that a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) is in order. The Commission at that point could incorporate all Morse-related rule making petitions into a single proceeding. The NPRM would get a docket number, and the comment process would begin anew. A good guess is that this will happen about Hamvention time next spring.

Meanwhile the ARRL Board has begun formulating its own proposal. A committee headed by ARRL First Vice President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, has been tasked to develop a set of proposals to be set before the ARRL Board by December 2003 and voted upon at the January 2004 ARRL Board meeting. The resulting proposal will then be filed with the FCC a month or so later and certainly before the FCC concludes action on the petitions already before it. Whatever the ARRL proposes and the FCC eventually determines to implement will probably be put into effect by mid 2005, about two years away.

In order to help me decide how I will vote I need to get input from Hudson Division ARRL members. This will help determine how I will vote in January.

Though license structure and exam content are not directly part of the Morse issue several petitions suggest that the current license structure and exam content should also be changed. Those petitions that discuss license structure generally suggest a three-tier license structure of Entry, General and Extra licenses. Proposals as to content vary from suggestions to make the Entry level license a simple written exam of perhaps 25 questions, concentrating on operating practice, essential rules, and very basic technical matters on one hand to increasing emphasis and difficulty of technical content on the other.

So far I have received very few comments from members in the Hudson Division on these questions. As we have the ability to send information to Division member it seemed like a good idea to get member opinions on these issues.

I have prepared a short questionnaire. You shouldn’t feel limited to the questions and alternatives in the questionnaire. Feel free to add your comments. Hearing the reasons why you prefer one alternative is even more helpful. Your answers will help me reach a decision as to how I will vote on the ARRL proposal in January.

Please cut and paste the survey below and send your replies to me at n2ff@arrl.org

1. Do you think ARRL should fight the elimination of Morse Code requirements for licensing?

___Yes ___No

2. Do you think ARRL should petition FCC to abolish Morse Code requirements for licensing?

___Yes ___No

3. Provided you think ARRL should fight elimination of Morse Code requirements (see No. 1, above) please select either a, b or c to indicate how hard we should fight to keep the code requirement:

___ a. Drop everything else (e.g., the fight against BPL, the fight to pass legislation to protect our frequencies, the fight against restrictions on antenna structures).

___ b. Drop all but the most important projects (e.g., the fight against BPL).

___ c. File a petition with FCC to keep the code requirement, but do nothing else.

10. Entry level licenses should be for a term of __ Two years non-renewable __ Two years but renewable __ Ten years renewable

11. I have been a Ham for ____ years

12. I took my last Amateur license exam __ from a VE Team __ from an FCC Examiner

13. How important is the Morse Issue to you? …… Crucial …… Very Important …… Somewhat Important …… Not Important ….. Unimportant

Please add any Comments.

Thanks for taking the time to let me know your thoughts.

73, de Frank Fallon N2FF, Hudson Division Director

* 27th NEW YORK CITY MARATHON – November 2nd

Once again The New York Road Runners Club will host the 27th annual New York City Marathon on November 2nd. And, for the 27th year, Amateur Radio operators are being asked to provide communications.

This race is the largest “people’s” event that the city hosts each year and requires over 400 Amateur Radio operators to fulfill the unique requirements set forth by the race officials.

This is the largest public service event in America each year. Come and be part of a world class event while helping over 30,000 runners achieve their dream.

Operations will take place on Staten Island from 4 AM to 11 AM, Brooklyn, and Queens from 6 AM to noon and in Manhattan and the Bronx from 7 AM to 3 PM. We are looking for those who have done public service events for years and those who have never been involved before.

Everyone receives training and a manual to help prepare for the day. If you have never done an event like this before you will be surprised at how much fun it is. The tee shirts will make you the envy of your club.

For further information, to get questions answered or to volunteer please contact the Communication Coordinator, Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML, at: w2ml@arrl.org

* DRIVING PROBLEMS

Correction: Some folks had trouble getting to the NYS law which covers “extended receive” capabilities. This is not easy and obvious but if you follow the directions you will get there.

For the NYS law go to http://www.senate.state.ny.us/ and select “Bills and Laws” which is the third item down on the left side. Then under Legislative Session Information select Laws of New York which is the fifth item in the list. Under “Consolidated Laws” select VAT (for Vehicle and Traffic Laws) and scroll then down to section 397 which is the specific law and print a copy of New York State Vehicle and Traffic Laws Title 3 Article 12 Section 397.

You will need to do the same for the hands free bill. It is on the same site under Article 33 “Miscellaneous Rules” and is Section 1225C, which is the provision covering the use of mobile telephones. The operative word you will see is telephone.

You will now feel like a legal scholar. Print out both sections and put them in your glove compartment.

* Court kicks New York ham’s “police radio” case:

A New York court has dismissed a misdemeanor charge against ARRL member Richard C. “Dick” Lalone, KC5GAX, for violating &sect;397 of that state’s Vehicle and Traffic Law. That section prohibits individuals other than law officers from equipping their vehicles with radios “capable of receiving signals on the frequencies allocated for police use” without first securing a permit. The section, which also prohibits knowingly interfering with police transmissions, contains an explicit exemption for “any person who holds a valid amateur radio operator’s license . . . and who operates a duly licensed portable mobile transmitter and in connection therewith a receiver or receiving set on frequencies exclusively allocated . . . to duly licensed radio amateurs.” In his nearly 1300-word decision, Judge John J. Hallet called &sect;397 “probably the most poorly drafted section of the Vehicle and Traffic Law.” While noting that the rationale behind the statute was to keep criminals from monitoring police calls, he said it was clear the legislature never intended the provisions of &sect;397 from applying to licensed Amateur Radio operators, and he dismissed the charge August 5. Susan Terry, KF4SUE, a former New York assistant attorney general, represented Lalone. ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, and ARRL Regulatory Information Specialist John Hennessee, N1KB, provided advice or assistance to Lalone. (from the ARRL Web Page)

* ARRL SURVEY NOT A HOAX

Some of you may get an ARRL Survey in the mail. Please answer it. Some folks will get them and others will not. Please don’t feel bad. I have been an ARRL member for 39 years and only once did I get one in the mail.

A Readex Survey is in the Mail

Materials for the first of two Readex surveys we are conducting this Fall are in the mail. We typically receive a few questions from members asking if ARRL really commissioned the survey. If anyone asks, please tell them that we did indeed commission Readex to conduct a survey, and ask that they take a few minutes to complete and return it. Each response is important.

This survey is going to a small selection of members, former members and never members and covers their amateur radio interests and activity levels, as well as their knowledge and perceptions of ARRL.

The second survey — a periodic QST Reader Survey — will be sent in a few weeks to ARRL members only. That one focuses on QST content, demographics and issues of interest to advertisers.

Each person in the survey sample will receive an “alert letter” saying that the survey is coming, then the survey booklet itself, then reminders and duplicate survey booklets as required to get to the needed response.

73, Mark K1RO

> MCLIC assists with Central New Jersey repeater interference issues:

The Monmouth County Local Interference Committee (MCLIC) formed a year ago at the direction of ARRL Northern New Jersey Section Manager Bill Hudzik, W2UDT, in response to a rise in repeater jamming and interference complaints, especially during ARES, RACES and National Traffic System (NTS) nets. MCLIC’s primary geographical focus is Monmouth County, New Jersey. A component of the Amateur Auxiliary, local interference committees may be commissioned by an ARRL SM with an Official Observer as chair to investigate and resolve repeater interference problems. MCLIC functions as an advisory committee to Monmouth County repeater sponsors in specific jamming cases and as a technical and investigative resource. MCLIC also is in need of additional, dedicated volunteers, especially those with experience in radio frequency monitoring, recording and direction finding. For more information, visit the MCLIC Web site. (from “In Brief” on the ARRL Web page )

* BEWARE INTERNET SCAMS

The moral of the story here is: Beware E-mail requests for information, even those from companies you deal with. Here is a heads up that may save you a great deal of grief. The following is an e-mail from an unnamed ARRL Vice Director who was bitten by this one:

The e-mail you received was not from eBay. It is a forged e-mail that APPEARS to have come from eBay, and in fact was generated by a ring of thieves who have been scamming eBay users who use their e-mail address as their eBay user ID. The link in the e-mail APPEARS to go to eBay, but in fact goes to a web page setup by the thieves to collect your personal, credit card, bank account and PayPal account information. Whatever you provide to them on that page will be used for theft. People who have fallen for this have had credit cards maxed out, bank accounts emptied out and PayPal accounts cleared out. I fell for one of them, but only provided a credit card number… they compromised it within minutes and tried to steal my identity (using the information to open a line of credit in my name at Dell Computer so they could buy hundreds of computers using my good name).

My first advisory is to change you eBay account name to something other than your e-mail address (this makes it more difficult for them to send you scam e-mails as your address will not be so readily known to them). My second advisory is to never trust links in e-mails. If you think eBay or PayPal or anyone else has asked you to update information, don’t click on the link in the e-mail (the name displayed in the link may not be where it really goes… the actual address it goes to is hidden in the HTML for the link)… just open a new browser window and go to the site the way you always do and use THAT page to see if there really is an account problem.

By the way, eBay works hard to shut these guys down, but they just move to another server and start again. You can forward notes like this to scam@ebay.com and they will investigate them.

* HAM RADIO FOR DUMMIES MAY BE COMING TO A BOOK STORE NEAR YOU

We have all heard too often about the “dumbing down of ham radio,” well get this:

According to author Ward Silver, N0AX, his manuscript for the new book “Ham Radio for Dummies” will be completed by the end of 2003. This is an addition to Wiley Publishing’s well-known “Dummies” series and stands a good chance of getting wide distribution in the consumer book market.

Daaah!

>>>>>APPROVED HAMFESTS: This is the last of the Hamfests for 2003. Shop while you can!

Comments

Hudson Division Beacon – September 2003 — No Comments

Looking For Division Archives

At a recent hamfest I found a program from the 1982 Hudson Division
Convention. Over the past few years I’ve found only one or two items
of note regarding our Division and its’ history. It made me realize
that there was no central repository for items of a historical nature
that dealt specifically with the Hudson Division. There appears to be
a dearth of these materials.There have been conventions, both Division and National, in the Hudson
Division going back to the 1930s, clubs galore with their own QSL
cards, newsletters that were sent to members by Division leadership,
and so forth. So before it’s too late, and while we still have
members who have squirreled away copies of these materials in filing
cabinets or basement boxes, I am reaching out to the Division and
asking that you consider one of two things. First, please consider
parting with these materials and letting me take them. I’ll scan
them, put them up on the Division website to share with the members,
and then pass them on to succeeding Directors as the keepers of our
story.If you would prefer not to part with them, then please consider
scanning the items for placing on the website. Items would include:
Convention programs, Director newsletters (yes, they used to be printed
and mailed), Club QSL cards, QSL cards of operators of note, pins,
badges, etc., etc.Please let me know what you have